1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of attacking aboveground armored target objects, in particular those which are employed for the sheltering of aircraft; and moreover, the invention relates to the utilization of steeply descending submunition having a final flight phase-corrected trajectory.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
From the disclosure of MILITARY TECHNOLOGY 2/85 (page 72, middle towards the left) there has become known a so-called anti-shelter weapon, which is employed for the attacking of aboveground armored shelters (dugouts) which are installed on airbases, and against the aircraft parked therein, wherein the submunition which is fired thereagainst in the form of dispersed or scatter ammunition is equipped with a drive or propulsion unit in order to enable it to penetrate the soil wall surrounding a shelter. In that instance, the submunition utilizes a tandem charge consisting of a forwardly-oriented shaped charge and an auxiliary charge for bursting open the concrete shelter armoring, and for the attacking the aircraft which is parked therein through the intermediary of fragments. Should, by accident or chance, the scatter ammunition at any time not land on the ground, but strike directly against the armored gate of the shelter, then, without any precedent ignition of the drive unit, the tandem charge will be immediately triggered.
However, the technological demands on the practical implementation realization of such a submunition is extremely considerable; whereas, on the other hand, there can be expected only a limited effect in the target, inasmuch as only a relatively small percentage of the scattered submunition will accidentally or by chance strike the soil cover on the earth embankment extending over the shelter; in effect, so as to actually attack a protectedly parked aircraft. In addition, it is hardly possible that for penetrating the earth or soil walls of shelters possessing a thickness of more than a few meters, to be able to arrange a drive or propulsion unit within the typical dimensions of submunition with representable requirements, whose capacity or power for the forward thrust through the earth or soil wall is adequate to reach to the reinforced concrete shelter armoring. However, at a detonation of the tandem charge which is already within the soil wall, at a distance from the concrete shell of the shelter, there can no longer be expected any penetration of this armoring, inasmuch as the effect of the tandem charge essentially only unfolds during the penetration of the concrete member itself, and in contrast therewith the energy thereof will dissipate within the earth embankment located in front thereof. Finally, the probability that the scatter ammunition, which is equipped with stabilizing fins but which, for the remainder, is free-falling in its trajectory, will strike the armored gate with any degree of hitting accuracy, wherein the gate is set back relative to the forward face of the shelter rearwardly of the armoring, is extremely low.